diff --git a/bin/xt-install-image b/bin/xt-install-image
index cdac40a..acc4fad 100755
--- a/bin/xt-install-image
+++ b/bin/xt-install-image
@@ -757,12 +757,21 @@ sub do_debootstrap
         $EXTRA .= " --arch $CONFIG{'arch'}";
     }
 
+    #
+    #  Setup http_proxy so that debootstrap pulls files through the apt-proxy
+    #
+    my $PROXY = '';
+    if ( $CONFIG{ 'apt_proxy' } )
+    {
+        print("Using apt_proxy: $CONFIG{'apt_proxy'}\n");
+        $PROXY = "http_proxy=\"$CONFIG{'apt_proxy'}\"";
+    }
 
     #
     #  This is the command we'll run
     #
     my $command =
-      "$cmd $EXTRA $CONFIG{'dist'} $CONFIG{'location'} $CONFIG{'mirror'}";
+      "$PROXY $cmd $EXTRA $CONFIG{'dist'} $CONFIG{'location'} $CONFIG{'mirror'}";
 
     #
     #  Run the command.
diff --git a/etc/xen-tools.conf b/etc/xen-tools.conf
index d606c9d..b241316 100644
--- a/etc/xen-tools.conf
+++ b/etc/xen-tools.conf
@@ -278,6 +278,9 @@ mirror = `xt-guess-suite-and-mirror --mirror`
 # mirror_maverick = http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
 # mirror_natty = http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
 
+# If this is defined it will be used by debootstrap
+#
+# apt_proxy =
 
 #
 #  Filesystem options for the different filesystems we support.